


Lily and Rain

by badwolf_on_vulcan



Category: Warriors - Erin Hunter
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-09
Updated: 2019-10-09
Packaged: 2020-11-28 16:16:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,155
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20969414
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/badwolf_on_vulcan/pseuds/badwolf_on_vulcan
Summary: Many moons after Firestar and Bramblestar's rule of Thunderclan, a new litter of kits is born when apprentices are desperately needed. Dreams sent by Starclan that can't be shared, even with the closest of friends. The discovery of who their real father was. And a prophecy that will shake the forest to its roots.





	1. Thunderclan Cats

**Author's Note:**

> Many of these characters are my own OC's, as is the plot/prophecy of "Rain and Lily". There will be some mention of famous Thunderclan leaders (Firestar, Brambleclaw, etc) that I am not claiming to be my own! -bw

THUNDERCLAN 

Leader: Duskstar (m)- dark gray, longhaired tom. Wise and gentle.   
Deputy: Rosethroat (f) - light brown queen with red patches. Slightly grumpy, but gets work done.   
Medicine cat: Snowflower (f) - gray and white longhaired she-cat.   
Apprentice: Moonpaw (f) - snowy white she-cat

Warriors: Tawnyfur (f)- light tawny striped with a white belly  
Apprentice: Shadepaw  
Frostfeather (f) - all white with long, feathery tail  
Apprentice: Cinderpaw  
Darkleap (m) - dark tabby tom   
Apprentice: Lilypaw  
Leafsky (f) - light brown with white belly, chest, and ears.  
Smallflash (m) - little orange tom, the newest warrior  
Apprentice: Rainpaw  
Mudshade (m)- dark brown tom  
Mistyspot (f)- light silver with darker gray spots  
Goldenfur (f)- golden with long hair  
Foxbreeze (m)- orange with white belly, very long legs. 

Queens: Heatherstripe (f)- small heather tabby. Has never told anyone who the mother of her kits is.   
Bluefoot (f)- blue, longhaired she-cat. An older queen- Moonpaw’s mother. Helping Heatherstripe take care of her first litter. 

Elders: Ravenbelly (m)- white tom with a black belly and tail


	2. Chapter One: Rainpaw

Dawn was seeping through the branches. Rainkit could taste the mist that had flooded the Thunderclan camp, but inside, the den was warm and humming with the sleepy purrs of other cats. None of Rainkit’s siblings were awake yet- not even Lilykit, who hadn’t shut up about their apprentice naming ceremony for weeks. 

Not that Rainkit could blame her. She herself had been dreaming about this day ever since Moonpaw, who was only a moon older than her and the other kits, had been made an apprentice. Even though Moonpaw was training to be Thunderclan’s next medicine cat, and Rainkit wanted to be a warrior, she was still jealous that Moonpaw got to spend so much time outside the nursery. 

Just then, Rainkit felt something stir beside her. Lilykit popped her head up sleepily, bits of moss from their nest still clinging to her whiskers.   
“S’it time for the ceremony yet?” Lilykit murmured. 

Rainkit thought back to Moonpaw’s ceremony. She thought she remembered it happening in the morning, but maybe it wasn’t until the evening...it felt so long ago, now, and such a small moment in time in comparison to Rainkit’s own ceremony. 

Lilykit sat up. “Who do you think our mentors will be? I hope mine is Duskstar!” 

Rainkit could taste the excitement radiating off of Lilykit’s calico fur. She knew her sister was noticing the same about her. 

Still, she rolled her eyes. The leader of Thunderclan wouldn’t train just any kit- usually it was only the kits of deputies. “Duskstar hasn’t had an apprentice in moons,” Rainkit mewed. “Not since Foxbreeze and Goldenfur were made warriors. And Rosethroat won’t have any more kits- she’s old.” 

“Rainkit.” That was their mother, Heatherstripe. “If you’re going to be an apprentice you need to show your deputy more respect. And you’ll all get fine mentors, no matter who they are.” 

Rainkit licked her chest with embarrassment. Not the best way to start the morning, she decided. 

Lilykit arched her back in the growing sunlight. “Can we go get something from the fresh-kill pile? I’m starving,” she announced. 

Rainkit beamed. Maybe the dawn patrol would be back by now! 

Heatherstripe thought about it for a moment. “Come straight back,” she said. “And no visiting with Moonpaw this early,” she added. “You’ll have time enough to talk with her after the ceremony.” 

Rainkit’s heart fluttered at the word. Their mother knew them too well, she decided; on any other day, they were bound to sneak away to the medicine cat den, but lately even gentle Snowflower had been scolding them. 

“Maybe we can go hunting with Moonpaw once we’re made apprentices!!” Rainkit whispered to Lilykit as they dashed together out of the nursery. She had already been daydreaming about it; her, Lilykit, and Moonpaw, all racing through the Thunderclan forest together to see whom could catch the most prey for the clan. The sun warm on their fur, and the undergrowth thick and cool beneath their paws. 

But still, they would have to be trained first. Apprentices rarely went hunting without their mentors, save for if they were being assessed on their hunting skills. 

Rainkit dashed forward to the fresh-kill pile, grabbing a juicy looking mouse before Lilykit could see it. She ate it right then and there, feeling the savory flavors pool across her tongue. Three quick bites, and it was nearly gone. 

“Excited?” an amused voice rang out behind them. That was Moonpaw, emerging from the medicine cat den with a mouth full of herbs, her white coat shining brightly in the dawn of early spring. Gently, she set the herbs at her paws. “You’ve been waiting to be made apprentices for so long!”

Rainkit gulped down the last of her mouse. “Yes!!” she exclaimed. She could feel the excitement tingling to the tip of her tail. Everyone in the clan, gathered together to recognize her and her siblings on their way to being warriors; Heatherstripe beaming at her kits. There was only one cat who wouldn’t be present, someone Rainkit had wished for as long as she could remember. Their father; whoever he was. 

She looked over at Lilykit, wondering if she was feeling the same thing. But her sister was busy gulping down the remainder of her vole, whiskers vibrating with excitement. “I just want to know who my mentor will be, already!!” she exclaimed. 

Moonpaw purred with amusement. “You’ll know soon enough,” she promised. “Duskstar will do the ceremony before sunhigh, I’m sure. Now...” she pawed at the bundle of herbs at her paws. “I have to run this to the elder’s den before Snowflower gets back from hunting. I’ll see you guys at the ceremony!!” 

The two kits mewed goodbye to their friend, as she trotted, tail waving, towards the overturned tree that served as the elder’s den. 

“It’ll be nice to have responsibilities when we’re apprentices,” Lilykit remarked. “I’m so sick of doing nothing in the nursery all day.” 

“Bet I’ll be made a warrior before you!” Cinderkit called out from a few feet away, trotting up to join them in the clearing. Shadekit was following at a slower pace behind. He’d always been the most timid of the litter, even though Rainkit was the smallest out of all of them. She puffed out her chest at the thought. She’d have to train twice as hard to make up for it, but she was determined to be just as brave and strong as her siblings. 

Lilykit ran a paw across her fluffy cheeks at Cinderkit’s jibe. “That isn’t how it works, Cinderkit.” 

Shadekit blinked. “I hope we get made warriors at the same time,” he remarked. “It won’t feel right without all of us there.” 

Rainkit smiled. Shadekit had always been so nice and mellow, the opposite of Cinderkit, who was a bundle of chaotic energy. But even Cinderkit had his moments; late at   
night when they were all cuddled up beside Heatherstripe, he would press himself in the center of all of them, purring loud enough for Starclan to hear. 

Now, he just rolled his eyes. “Whatever,” he said. “I’m just saying, once it comes time to show who’s the best warrior, it’s gonna be me.” 

Lilykit’s green eyes glittered mischievously. “We’ll see,” she purred. 

“Come back to the nursery, you four!” That was Heatherstripe, her light brown tail waving from across the clearing. “And bring Bluefoot something from the fresh-kill pile.” 

Grabbing a particularly fat vole, Lilykit bounded back obediently to their mother. The rest of the kits followed with their own fresh-kill, Rainkit’s paws feeling sad to go back into the nursery so soon. Thankfully, they just had time to eat, followed by a quick grooming from Heatherstripe, before Rainkit heard Duskstarls deep yowl call out from across the clearing. 

“Let all those old enough to catch their own fresh-kill gather here beneath the High Rock for a Clan meeting!” 

Rainkit raced her siblings to the nursery door before Heatherstripe’s tail swept in front of them. “Wait until a few more cats have made it to the clearing,” she instructed sternly, though Rainkit thought she could hear a hint of amusement in her mew. “It won’t do to go barreling over each other.” 

Cinderkit kneeded the ground impatiently. Rainkit felt Lilykit’s pelt bristling with nerves. Even as Heatherstripe led them out of the nursery and into the crowd of cats beyond, the four kits were all fighting to keep trembles away. Rainkit especially. I don’t want anyone to know how nervous I am, she thought stubbornly, keeping her eyes on Lilykit’s slender shoulders as they positioned themselves in front of Duskstar. 

“As you all know,” Duskstar began, his deep voice ringing around the hollow. “Thunderclan has been in desperate need for apprentices as we approach this year’s leaf fall. At the end of new leaf, Heatherstripe blessed us with four healthy kits. Now those kits have reached their sixth moon, and are ready to become apprentices of Thunderclan.” He gazed down at them, his green eyes glowing happily. 

Rainkit shivered with excitement. She could feel the warmth of her siblings around her, and was glad that they would all still be sleeping together when they moved to the apprentice’s den. 

“Lilykit,” Duskstar beckoned, and Lilykit stepped forward nervously. “From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Lilypaw.” 

Lilypaw’s tail waved happily as she waited for the Thunderclan leader to continue. 

“Your mentor will be Darkleap,” Duskstar said, and the dark tabby tom stepped forward to meet Lilypaw’s gaze. 

He doesn’t look that surprised, Rainkit thought to herself. Perhaps he was expecting to gain another apprentice. He was, after all, Thunderclan’s most senior warrior behind Duskstar and Rosethroat, and a descendant of Bramblestar himself, Thunderclan’s previous leader of many, many moons before Rainkit and her siblings had been born. 

“Darkleap, you have proven yourself to be a strong and battle-smart warrior. I know you will pass down all you know to Lilypaw,” Duskstar finished. 

Rainkit was bursting with excitement for her sister as she watched the new apprentice touch noses with her mentor, moving together to sit at the edge of the circle of cats, to watch the rest of the kits receive their apprentice names. 

Rainkit could hardly contain herself as she watched Cinderkit and Shadekit become Cinderpaw and Shadepaw. Cinderpaw let out a yelp of excitement as Tawnyfur, a tabby she-cat and very gifted hunter, was assigned to be his mentor. Shadepaw was more professional when he touched noses with his new mentor, Frostfeather, though Rainkit thought she could see an extra excited tremble in his paws. Then, they stepped to the side to join Lilypaw and Darkleap, and Rainkit was left on her own, all the eyes of all the cats in Thunderclan trained on her. 

“Rainkit,” Duskstar mewed, “From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Rainpaw.”

Rainpaw flicked her ears in excitement. Who will my mentor be? Mistyspot? Foxbreeze? She gazed with excitement at the warriors around her. Anyone of them would be incredible mentors! 

Duskstar paused a moment longer before resting his eyes on a cat near the edge of the gathered Thunderclan members. “Your mentor will be Smallflash,” he said confidently. 

...Smallflash? Rainpaw thought, forcing her ears to keep from drooping with disappointment. She could see the confusion in her sibling’s eyes as well, and could only hope that hers weren’t showing the same. Smallflash has barely been a warrior for a moon. 

Then, Smallflash was standing beside her. He was a little orange tom, barely a tail-length bigger than she was, and she could sense confusion radiating off of him as well. 

“Smallflash,” Duskstar continued, “You learned so many valuable things from Meadowtail before Starclan came to claim her. I know she will approve of my choice in your mentorship to Rainpaw, and I trust that you will train this apprentice well.” 

Smallflash swallowed hard, and Rainpaw couldn’t tell if it was in reaction to his recently dead mentor, who had been killed a territory battle two moons ago against a pair of rogue cats, or at the fact that he didn’t feel confident in training Rainpaw. Perhaps it was a mix of the two. “Of course, Duskstar,” he said, turning to Rainpaw. 

When they touched noses, he blinked apologetically at her. Does he not know how to train me? Rainpaw wondered in dismay. He was just an apprentice himself, he must remember how his own training went!! 

She turned away from him, eager to get to the apprentices den and distract herself, somehow, from her disappointment. She didn’t even want to talk to Lilypaw about it. Maybe she was just imagining things, in her haste to become an apprentice, in her nervousness to prove herself to Thunderclan, despite her smaller size. 

I still want to prove myself, she thought desperately, even if my mentor wasn’t what I was hoping for.


End file.
